In today’s digital world, information is literally at our fingertips in an instant, and because of this, attention spans are dwindling. This has meant that the speed at which a website loads has become a decisive factor in shaping user experience. Website speed goes beyond being just a technical aspect, it is a key factor in how users interact with a site, and how they assess it. This blog explores the impact of website speed on user experience and displays why it should be a priority for website owners and developers to implement it into their sites.
The internet has transformed into a huge marketplace, allowing businesses to share their brand on a global scale through carefully crafted websites. With millions of websites fighting for users’ attention, it is crucial that websites stand out for the right reasons. Over time, users have become increasingly intolerant of slow-loading websites and research consistently shows that users expect a website to load within a matter of seconds and that any delay can result in frustration and abandonment.
Notably, a study by Google found that the probability of bounce increases by 32% when page load time goes from 1 second to 3 seconds. Moreover, a one-second delay in mobile load times can result in a 7% reduction in conversions! These statistics illustrate the importance of speed when it comes to successfully retaining website users and achieving desired actions.
Many think that user experience is determined just by the aesthetics of a website and how easy it is to navigate, but it is so much more than that. A website with a stellar user experience considers the entire journey a user goes through from landing on a website to completing a desired action. Website speed is a fundamental aspect of this journey and influences many elements that contribute towards a positive or negative experience.
WHY DOES WEBSITE SPEED MATTER?
Firstly, the loading speed of a website is the user’s first impression of the website. Imagine clicking on a link and waiting for what feels like forever for the content to appear… That initial frustration can taint the whole user experience, leading to an overall negative perception of the website and, as a result, the brand itself.
Secondly, fast-loading websites not only attract users but also keep them engaged. In a survey conducted by Akamai, it was found that 53% of mobile site visitors will leave a page that takes longer than three seconds to load. Speed, therefore, plays a crucial role in retaining visitors and encouraging them to further explore your website.
Thirdly, website speed is an important factor in SEO. Search engines such as Google consider page speed as one of the ranking factors as it recognises the importance of delivering a fast and efficient user experience. Faster websites are more likely to rank higher in search engine results pages which will lead to increased visibility and organic traffic.
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TIPS FOR WEBSITE SPEED OPTIMISATION
- Compress images without compressing quality
- Use appropriate file formats for images
- Combine multiple files into a single file where it is possible
- Limit the number of elements on a page
- Use browser caching and set appropriate expiration dates for static resources
- Allow returning visitors to load a page more quickly by storing cached versions of resources locally
- Compress CSS, JavaScript and HTML files
- Remove any unnecessary code, comments and white spaces
- Use a content delivery network to distribute website content across multiple servers worldwide
- Prioritise the key elements of a page that are needed for initial rendering
- Optimise the order in which resources are loaded
As displayed throughout this blog, the speed at which a website loads has a huge impact on overall user experience. Website owners and developers must recognise the correlation between website speed and user satisfaction, retention and conversions. By prioritising speed optimisation strategies and adopting a user-centric mindset, websites can deliver a seamless and positive user experience to its visitors.